Kyoto

Kyoto Travel BLOG presented by Jamri Photography and James Clarke.
Kyoto was the capital city of Japan from 794-1869. It is a place where ancient traditions meet modern technology. Famous for it's vast arrays of Buddhist Temples, Shinto Shrines, Palaces, Traditional Houses, Kimonos, Arts, Crafts, Tofu, Green Tea, and Geisha. It also has some amazing modern buildings. A number of High Technology companies have their Headquarters in Kyoto such as Omron, Rohm Semiconductor, Kyocera, Murata Manufacturing, and Nintendo.
My aim is to provide you with images and information to help you make the most out of your visit to Kyoto. I also hope show the beauty of the different seasons in Kyoto to inspire you to come again to this wonderful city.
I have lived in Kyoto prefecture since 2008. Prior to my move here, I visited Kyoto as a tourist in 1998, 2005, 2006 & 2007. While the majority of the photos I'm planning to post will come from 2008 onwards, occasionally I'll post some older photos.
Please note the Kyoto watermark will NOT appear on any Prints, Digital Stock or Gifts purchased. You are welcome to link to these images on your own BLOGS as long as they appear in the form they are displayed on this site with the watermark clearly shown to acknowledge where it comes from. If you wish to alter these images or display them without watermarks on your websites you MUST purchase digital stock.

Over the weekend Typhoon Talim (aka “1718”) moved it’s way across Japan from Kyushu all the way up to Hokkaido. In terms of scale it was the largest Typhoon in 25 years. Fortunately by the time it got to mainland Japan its intensity had weakened to a tropical storm. This photo was taken at the Kamogawa River in downtown Kyoto less than 24 hours after the storm had passed Kyoto. Due to the rains that came with the storm, there was so much water following down the Kamogawa, that it was difficult to hear the shutter or even the mirror sound from the camera.
This image is an HDR image made from 7 photos. The large building at the centre of image is a Chinese Restaurant. The building to the left is a traditional Japanese Restaurant. Along the opposite riverbank is a popular place for groups of young people or couples to sit at night during the warmer months of the year.
The spot where I captured the photos used to make this image is near the Keihan Gion-Shijo station SW exit (exit No. 2). It’s also about a 2 minute walk from the Hankyu Kawaramachi Station (use exit No. 1B). To get to this part of Kyoto from the JR Kyoto station catch the subway two stops to the North and alight at Shijo station, from there it’s about a 10 minute walk to the east. Alternatively you can catch a JR Nara Line “local” train from Kyoto one stop to Tofukuji then transfer to a Demachiyanagi bound train on to the Keihan Main Line there.
The photos used to make this image were captured with a Nikon D300 camera and a Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM lens mounted on a tripod. HDR conversion was done using Aurora HDR 2017. Final post processing was done using DxO Optics Pro 11.
Note: This is my first BLOG since March this year. We’ve been busy with some business and family things since then. I plan to make an entry about some of the things we’ve been doing on my other BLOG in the near future. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Yuzen-en (Yuzen Garden) is part of the Chion-in (Chion Temple) complex. I took this photo in Yuzen-en on Saturday night (March 11th) as the garden was lit up for the Higashiyama Hanatouro event. This event is now over for another year. The next Hanatouro will be the Arashiyama Hanatouro in December. Perhaps there be a mini Hanatouro in Nishi-Hongan-ji and surrounds in October again this year. Of course individual temples, shrines, castles, and gardens have light up events at other times of the year, especially during the cherry blossom time or maple colour change time. If I get to go to one of those, I will probably BLOG about it.
As I mentioned in the previous BLOG post I was planning to visit Chion-in during this year's Higashiyama Hanatouro. If you saw my starter comment on my previous BLOG you would have read that I did make it and I was a little underwhelmed by it. I guess I had high expectations, because when I went to Sho-Ren-in (which is next door to Chion-in) for the Higashiyama Hanatouro a few years back, I blown away by the lights they had there. Given Chion-in is an even bigger temple complex I was expecting it to be huge, but they only lit up a couple of sections of with pretty simple lighting. However the garden is pretty beautiful, so maybe it was worth the 500yen ($5) entry just to see it. All I can say though, if you've got limited time at a Higashiyama Hanatouro skip Chion-in check out Sho-Ren-in instead.
While I was reflecting on my experiences of going to Higashiyama Hanatouro over the past 7 years I thought about what advice would I give someone who has never been before. Probably the best route if you've never been to a Higashiyama Hanatouro and you only had one night would be to start at Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizu Temple) and make your way to Yasaka-jinja (Yasaka Shrine) via Sannen-zaka. If you've seen Kiyomizu-dera before, then you probably don't need to go in, as tends to get very crowded during the Higashiyama Hanatouro. The only temple that I'd recommend stopping to enter on the way would be Entokuin. If you had a second night at the Higashiyama Hanatouro then start at Higashiyama station (Kyoto Municipal Subway's Tozai line) stop in at Sho-Ren-in (like a mini Hanatouro in one temple) after that head towards Maruyama Koen (Murayama Park) and finish up there.
Chion-in is the head temple of Jodo-Shu ("Pure Land") Buddhism. The temple is built in the area where Jodo-Shu's founder Honen first started preaching and eventually died. Honen trained Shinran (Mentioned in BLOG post "Towards the Gate of Otani Mausoleum") who later founded Jodo-Shin-Shu ("True Pure Land") Buddhism. These two teachers had a big impact on Japanese history as they advocated simpler forms of Buddhism that were more acceptable to the masses, than the older forms which were mostly popular with the upper classes. Like most Jodo-Shu and Jodo-Shin-Shu temples, there is no entrance fee to enter the temple grounds (except during the Higashiyama Hanatouro). There is however always an entrance fee for the two gardens (Yuzen-en and Hojo) that are in the temple complex.
Chion-in is in Higashiyama, Kyoto just next to the North East part of Maruyama Koen. The nearest train stations are: Higashiyama (on the Kyoto Subway's Tozai line); Gion-Shijo (on the Keihan Railway's Main line); and Kawaramachi (on the Hankyu Railway's Kyoto line).
This photo was taken hand held with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF-Nikkor 35mm f/2D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro 11. I made the following adjustments:- Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied (25%); DxO ClearView applied (%50); Highlights -15%; Shadows +5%; Contrast +25%; Microcontrast +25%; Vibrancy +25%; Saturation +15%; and PRIME noise reduction applied.

Minoko is a high end traditional restaurant in Higashiyama, Kyoto not far from the South Exit of Yasaka-jinja (Yasaka Shrine). This is a "kaiseki" restaurant, that serves traditional Kyoto style banquet meals, each dish is a work of art. This restaurant also has very attractive Japanese style rooms surrounding an internal garden. Minokou is a pretty famous place, some of my friends even recognised it when I showed them this photo.
I took this photo during lasts year's Higashiyama Hanatouro. It was captured handheld at a fairly wide aperture and using High ISO. I normally prefer shooting on a tripod during the Hanatouro, but I opted to carry a bit less that time, which allowed me to see more sights in one evening. This year's Hishiyama Hanatouro runs until to tomorrow night (from 6:00pm - 9:30pm). If I get the chance to go tonight or tomorrow night I might also go handheld again, as last Saturday I lugged a heavy tripod around. There's one spot I really want to go still, that I haven't been during a Higashiyama Hanatouro, and that is Chion-in (Chion Temple), and they probably won't allow the use of tripods in there.
Minoko (美濃幸) is about 1 block south of the South Gate of Yasaka-jinja. The nearest train station is Gion-Shijo on the Keihan Railway's Main Line. Probably the easiest way to get there is to head East from the train station, enter a Yasaka-jinja through the West Gate and walk through to the South Gate. Heading south from the shrine the restaurant is about one block away on your right. It's best to make an advanced reservation.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF-Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied (25%); DxO ClearView applied (50%); Highlights -25%; Shadows +10%; Blacks +%20; Contrast +%25; Microcontrast +25%; Vibrancy +25%; and PRIME Noise Reduction Applied;

Here is another HDR image made from photos I took last Saturday night at the Higashiyama Hanatouro. This event is currently on every night from 6:00pm till 9:30pm until March 12th. This image was the favourite of some my friends when showed them the various HDR images I made from the photos I took last Saturday night.
During the Higashiyama Hanatouro this walking path that runs between just outside of the south gate of Yasaka-jinja and the gate of Higashi Higashi Otani Mausoleum is lined with lanterns and illuminated art works. During the time I was there on last Saturday night it was fairly quiet on that part of the Hanatouro course.
Otani Mausoleum is where the famous Japanese Buddhist teacher, Shinran was buried. His descendants have the family name Otani. From Shinran came the teachings of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. This is now the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in Japan today. The original Hongan-ji (the head temple of Jodo Shinshu) was located at this same location. Hongan-ji eventually was relocated and is now known as Nishi-Hongan-ji after the school split into the East (Higashi) and West (Nishi) branches.
This HDR image was made from 5 photos from -2EV to +2EV captured on a Nikon D700 camera and an AF-Nikkor 35mm f/2D lens mounted on a tripod. The RAW (.NEF) files were used in Aurora HDR 2017 to produce the final image.

Today, I present a HDR image made from photos I took at this year's Higashiyama Hanatouro on Saturday night. This event is currently on every night from 6:00pm till 9:30pm until March 12th. This image is of the centre stage at Yasaka-jinja (Yasaka Shrine). Out of all the images I made from photos I took on Saturday night, this one's my wife's favourite.
The centre stage is used for various purposes. I seen it being used for weddings, for blessings of children and for dance performances by Geisha. Around the time I took the photos used in this image something was being set up on this stage.
Yasaka-jinja is an interesting place, the first time I visited, I was a bit shocked by by the rather mercantile nature of it. How they allow so many vendors on the premises. It's also a shrine with a long connection to the Geisha. As I've read more on the history of Kyoto and this part of town (Gion), I realise the lines between secular and sacred not the same here than in other places.
This HDR image was made from 5 photos from -2EV to +2EV captured on a Nikon D700 camera and an AF-Nikkor 35mm f/2D lens mounted on a tripod. The RAW (.NEF) files were used in Aurora HDR 2017 to produce the final image.

My very first Higashiyama Hanatouro in 2010 also started at the same spot: The West Gate of Yasaka-jinja (Yasaka Shrine). However that time I arrived a bit late for the best light. This time Saturday (the 4th of March 2017) I arrived about 10 minutes before the Hanatouro started and waited for the right light. After this I photographed a few other spots, which I might post up here later. The weather on Saturday was very pleasant for an early March night in Kyoto, it was around 12C with no wind or rain.
As I mentioned in my previous BLOG post, the 2017 Higashiyama Hanatouro started about a week earlier than usual this year on Friday the 3rd of March. This event runs every evening from 6:00pm to 9:30pm until Sunday the 12th of March. If you're in Kyoto or nearby at the moment make sure you don't miss it.
Just through this gate were the usual assortment of temporary food stalls, that are here for Higashiyama Hanatouro time (as well as during some other festival times). I think some of these vendors do a circuit of the festivals in Japan, because I even met the same vendor in one temporary food stall during the cherry blossom time in Kyoto, whom I had bought food from at the Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival) in Sapporo Hokkaido which is over 1000kms away.
Yasaka-jinja is a good spot to start your Higashiyama Hanatouro explorations as it's close to Keihan's Gion-Shijo station and Hankyu's Kawaramachi station. If you head North from Yasaka-jinja (to the left of this picture) the Hanatouro path will take you to Maruyama Koen (Maruyama Park), Chion-in (Chion Temple), before it finishes just after Sho-ren-in (Sho-ren Temple). Heading South (to the right of this picture) is the bulk of the Hanatouro course, with many streets lined with lanterns, shops and restaurants open for night trading, temples, shrines and other buildings lit up, all the way to Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizu Temple).
This photo was taken on a Nikon D700 camera and an AF-Nikkor 35mm f/2D lens, mounted on a tripod. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and then post processed in DxO Optics Pro 11. I made the follow adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied (%25); DxO ClearView applied (%50); Highlights -75%; Shadows +20%; Contrast +25%; Microcontrast +25%; Vibrancy +5%; PRIME Noise reduction applied; and the image was cropped by about 35%.

The Higashiyama Hanatouro starts this Friday night (March 3rd) and continues each night until Sunday March 12th. This is about a week earlier than usual, I'm not sure why though. The lights turn on at 6:00pm and go out at 9:30pm each night. It’s a good chance to see many of Higashiyama’s shrines, temples, traditional neighbours and shops lit up with the Hanatouro lights. There are also many events like parades in traditional costumes and dance performances during the Hanatouro evenings.
For today's image, I made a HDR image from five photos. Previously I posted a single photo of the same bracket, because at that time I didn't have any HDR processing software at that time. However, I knew that sooner or later I buy some HDR software, so I took bracketed shots so I could use them later.
The nearest tower in this image is the traditional Yakasa Pagoda and the far tower in the more modern Kyoto Tower which is in fact way taller but much further away. Many people get mixed up between Yakasa Pagoda and the Pagoda at To-ji (temple), because they're both five storied. To-ji (temple) however, is on the other side of the city and nowhere near Higashiyama. Yasaka Pagoda is in the Higashiyama area about midway between Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizu Temple) and Yasaka-jinja (Yasaka Shrine).
The best train stations for getting to the Higashiyama Hanatouro are as follows: If you wish to start at Yasaka-jinja or Maruyama Koen (Maruyama Park), then the either alight at the Hankyu Railway's Kawaramachi Station or Keihan Railway's Gion-Shijo Station and head east up Shijo-dori until you reach the gate of Yasaka-jinja; If you wish to start at Kiyomizu-dera (the southern end of the Hanatouro course) alight at the Keihan Railway's Kiyomizu-Gojo and head east following the signs to Kiyomizu-dera, note it is a quite a walk, so arrive early; If you wish to start at the northern end of the Hanatouro course near Sho-ren-in (Sho-ren Temple), alight at Higashiyama station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway's Tozai Line.
This image was produced from 5 raw (.NRW) captures from -4EV to 0EV with a Nikon Coolpix P7100 camera. The reason I opted for this range was the lights on the Kyoto Tower were so much brighter than the ones on the Yasaka Pagoda and the camera only does a maximum of 5 shot brackets. Unfortunately because of using this range I couldn't pull much detail from the mountains in the background. If I was to take this shot with a dSLR I could do a nine shot bracket from -4EV to +4EV, plus with the added dynamic range of a dSLR I'd be able to get more details in the mountains and other dark areas. I processed this from the RAWs in Aurora HDR 2017. I kept the noise reduction low and added a bit of vignetting to give the final image a bit of a retro look.

The Plums (Japanese "Ume") are now blossoming in Kyoto. The other day I went for a bit of a hike in the Arashiyama area and noticed a Plum Tree by the river. I also noticed that tour boats were going up and down the river. So, then I just waited for the boat to move into the right spot. Now I have Plum Blossom version to go with my autumn Japanese Maple leaves version and my Cherry Blossom version.
With the Plums in bloom the weather is noticeably a bit warmer and there are a lot spots in Kyoto where you can enjoy viewing the Plums, including Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (and any other Tenmangu Shrine), Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizu Temple), a little grove on Sannen-Zaka and of course in Arashiyama. The Higashiyama Hanatouro is starting earlier than usual this year, the first night will be this Friday (March 3rd), so you'll get the chance to enjoy both the lights and plums at the same time. Definitely a good time to be in Kyoto at the moment and little bit quieter before it gets really crowded for the Sakura (Cherry Blossom) season!
Arashiyama is an area in the north of Kyoto city, it's a lovely place to look around at the traditional shops, restaurants, houses, temples, shrines, rural areas, plus the river and the mountains. There are three railway stations in Arashiyama. The Hankyu Railway's Arashiyama station, probably the best option coming from Osaka, Kobe or the western suburbs of Kyoto. The Keifuku Railway's (aka "Randen") Arashiyama station which is a good option from the downtown area or Kyoto's northern suburbs. Japan Rail's Saga-Arashiyama which is a good option from the Kyoto station area or transferring from any other JR trains at Kyoto station, plus the Shinkansen, the Kyoto Municipal Subway and Kintentsu Railway, transfer to the JR Sagano line at Kyoto Station.
This photo was taken with a Nikon Coolpix P7100 camera. It was captured as a RAW (.NRW) and post processed with DxO Optics Pro 11. I made the following adjustments:- Default camera corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied (%25); DxO ClearView applied (50%); Midtones -10%; Contrast +50%; Microcontrast +25%; Vibrancy +25%; Saturation +15%; PRIME Noise Reduction applied; and Cropped to 2:3 ratio.

Kinkaku-ji was the destination I was headed on the snow day I BLOGGED about previously. I was hoping to avoid the crowds by getting there a bit early. Unfortunately they didn't open the doors until 9:00am and by that time every photographer in Kyoto plus quite a few tourists had gotten there! It rarely snows so heavily in Kyoto and I guess everyone had the same thoughts as me to photo the Golden Pavilion against the snow.
I took all the usual shots, working my way to the front of the crowd to get them. However, my favourite shot of the day was this one from behind the pavilion where few people were taking photos.
Kinkaku-ji is not near any train stations. You need to get there by bus, taxi or private transport. Ignore all the travel guides which tell you to catch a bus from Kyoto Station to this temple, you'll waste half your day on crowded buses. The quickest buses to Kinkaku-ji go from near Emmachi Station on JR's Sagano line, Saiin Station on the Hankyu Railway's Kyoto Line, Kitanohakubaicho Station on Keifuku Railway's Kitano Line, or from near Nishioji-Oike Station on the Kyoto Subway's Tozai Line.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments:- Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting Applied (25%); DxO ClearView applied (%50); Highlights -15%; Shadows +10%; Contrast +25%; Microcontrast +25%; Vibrancy +25%; Saturation +15%; PRIME noise reduction applied; and image cropped to 5:7 ratio.

The weather has been very cold in Kyoto since about mid January, rarely has the maximum temperature gone above 5C. We don't have central heating in our house, it's not very common in this part of Japan, so this level of coldness is quite hard to deal with even after eight years here. I was sick off work for a week with influenza A, and two weeks later my nose still hasn't stopped running.
One good thing about this time of year, is occasionally we get some snow in Kyoto that doesn't melt for a while. On one such snowy day before I caught influenza A, I decided to head out to Kitaku (North Ward) of Kyoto city knowing there'd be even more snow on the ground up there as it's closer to the mountains.
While I was walking north along Nishioji Dori, I passed Hirano Shrine and I took this photo. After taking this photo I've did some research about Hirano Shrine and found that it has a superb collection of Cherry Trees, so I'm planning to come back during the Hanami (Cherry Blossom viewing) season. Actually with this much snow on the Cherry Trees (see the ones behind the gate) it gives a good foretaste of what they might look like in spring.
Hirano Shrine is in Kitaku, Kyoto City. Not far from Kitano Temangu Shrine and Kikaku-ji (the Temple of the Golden Pavillon). Catch any of the buses which go to those more famous places to get there. The main entrance to the Shrine is on Nishioji Dori which is the main street in this part of Kyoto so it's pretty hard to miss. During cherry blossom season I recommend going early in the morning to avoid the crowds. The sun is up before 6am at that time of the year, but most people don't start cherry blossom viewing until 9 or 10am. Most Shrines and even some temples open early, apart from Kikaku-ji which opens at 9am. BTW Kiyomizu-dera, one of the most famous temples in Kyoto opens at 6am, it's very peaceful there at that time, but from 9am onwards it's one of the most crowded sites in Kyoto.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 and an AF Nikkor 50 f/1.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro 11. I made following adjustments:- Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting Applied (25%); Highlights -15%; Shadows +10%; Blacks +10%; DxO Clear View Filter Applied (50%); Contrast +50%; Microcontrast +25%; Vibrancy +25%; Saturation +15%; and PRIME Noise Reduction Applied.

In Japan the age of majority is 20 years old and on the second Monday in January all of the people who turned 20 in the previous year have a celebration. The majority of the ladies coming of age dress up in Kimonos although some wear nice western style dresses. The majority of the gentlemen coming of age dress up in suits although some wear a kind of Kimono for men. This celebration is known as "Coming of Age Day" (sometimes translated as "Adults Day") and it is a public holiday in Japan.
On Coming of Age Day people who turned 20 in that year will attend a coming of age ceremony, put on by their local city council. In the ceremony they are given a lecture about their responsibilities as adults. Also many will visit a Shinto Shrine for a blessing. I took this photo at Heian-jingu (Heian shrine) which is a popular place for a Coming of Age Blessing in Kyoto.
If you're in Kyoto on a Coming of Age Day and want to see the new adults, then head to the area between Heian-jingu and the Rohm theatre (where the civil ceremony takes place) between 10am to 1pm. The nearest train station is Higashiyama on the Kyoto Municipal Subway's Tozai Line.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D300 camera and an AF Nikkor 50f/1.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro 11. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting Applied (%25); Highlights (-15%); DxO ClearView Applied (%50); Contrast (+50%); Microcontrast (+25%); Vibrancy (+25%); Saturation (+15%); PRIME Noise Reduction Applied; and Cropped to 5:4 ratio.

Before I take a break for Christmas and New Year, I just had to share one more image I made from photos I took at this years Arashiyama Hanatouro. I've been going the Arashiyama Hanatouro every year since 2009 and the numbers seem to increase each year. I had to wait at this spot for about two hours to get a gap in the crowd to get in and make the 5 shots I used to make this HDR image of the bamboo tunnel. In the first couple of years it was easy to take photos in this location with a tripod.
A few years ago a photographer named Trey Ratcliff (aka "Stuck in Customs") made a HDR image near this spot that became famous. That photo wasn't taken during the Arashiyama Hanatouro, so the Bamboo wasn't lit up. Since I saw that photo I've had it in mind to make a HDR image from photos taken there during the Arashiyama Hanatouro. So now I've done it and I used Trey's software Aurora HDR 2017 to do the post processing.
This image was made from 5 photos captured as RAW (.NEF) files on a Nikon D300 camera with a Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM lens. It was post processed using Aurora HDR 2017 and DxO Optics Pro 11.
I'd like to wish all my readers and fellow smugmuggers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. James

The Arashiyama Hanatouro started a little early this year, on the evening of December 9th to be exact. Probably to avoid it clashing with Christmas. It is on every evening from 5:00-8:30pm until December 18th. If you're visiting Kyoto or nearby at the moment head out to Arashiyama to see it. Together with its sister event the Higashiyama Hanatouro it's now one of Kyoto's premier light up events. If you've never seen one of these before make sure you don't miss it. I recommend going on a weeknight if you can, as the weekend nights can get pretty crowded.
Since Arashiyama is not so far away from my house by train, I've already been twice this year. Then again, I also went to this year's Higashiyama Hanatouro twice and that's more of a hike to get to for me. The first night I mostly focused on photoing the Togetsukyo (translation "moon crossing bridge"). The second night I went without any cameras or cellphones and just walked about half of the course with my wife. After we finished our walk, we had dinner at the famous soba restaurant I featured in a previous BLOG post. Even though we didn't get a seat with a view of the river, the meal was fantastic and the garden view from our seat was was pretty good.
The best way to get to Arashiyama is by train. There are three train lines with stations in the Arashiyama area. From the Kyoto station area take the JR Sagano Line and alight at Saga-Arashiyama. This is the only line a Japan Rail Pass will work on, also good if you're connecting from the Kintetsu Line or Kyoto's Southern Suburbs and East of the city. If you're coming from Osaka, Kobe or Kyoto's Western Suburbs use the Hankyu Kyoto line and transfer on to the Hankyu Arashiyama line at Katsura. The station to alight at on the Hankyu Arashiyama line is called Arashiyama. If you're coming from the downtown area use a combination of the Subway (Tozai Line) and transfer to the Keifuku Arashiyama line at Uzumasa-Tenjingawa. The station to alight at on the Keifuku Arashiyama line is also called Arashiyama.
BTW the 2017 Higashiyama Hanatouro is going to be more than a week earlier than usual (March 3rd to March 12th, 2017). That probably will mean we won't get to see cherry blossoms during the Hanatouro, but the plum blossoms will still be very nice. So, make sure you add it to your itinerary, if you're planning to come to Japan in early March.
This image is a HDR image formed from 7 photos with a range from EV-3 to EV+3. They were captured on a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 85f/1.8 lens mounted on a tripod. I merged the RAW (.NEF) files in Aurora HDR 2017 to make a HDR image. I used pretty extreme settings to bring out the details on the mountains. The final touches on the image were done in DxO Optics Pro.
If you're wondering why I haven't posted in a while. I went through a pretty busy time with bookkeeping and other administration for my business in October, then in November my parents were in Japan for 16 days. So, I decided to take a break from BLOGging for a while.

Today I'm posting one more photo from the Nishi-Hongan-ji light up that was held in October last year. I'm not sure if it's an annual event, but I plan to look into it again this year around October time. The building featured in this photo is Founder's Hall (Goei-do) which was built in 1636 and is on the world heritage list. Unlike the previous two images I featured from this event this is not a HDR image, this a single photo. Due to the changing light colours in projected on this temple building I was not able to do a bracketed HDR capture.
Normally it's easy to go into Nishi-Honganji, there's no entrance fee, you just walk through the gates. The process during the light-up was much more complicated and you had to pay a "donation". The whole process was daunting enough for me, if you don't have much Japanese language ability, it would be next to impossible to figure out the entrance process.
Once inside the grounds I then had find a spot where I could set up the camera on the tripod without it getting in the way of the crowds. I ended up in a few different spots behind the crowds. This photo was taken in the third spot I found.
Nishi-Hongan-ji is an interesting place to visit anytime of the year. It is the head temple of the Jodo-Shin-Shu Hongan-ji-ha branch of Buddhism, one of the most popular forms of Buddhism in Japan today. It's about 15 minutes walk North West from Kyoto Station. There are probably buses that can get you from Kyoto Station to the temple, but for me 15 minutes is a short walk, so I always walk there from the station. If you want to catch a bus the friendly staff at the bus office outside Kyoto station (north side) can probably tell you which buses you can catch.
This photo was captured with a Nikon Coolpix P7100 camera on a tripod. It was captured as a RAW (.NRW) file and post processed with DxO Optics Pro 11. I made the following adjustments: Default camera corrections applied; Spot white balance on the clouds in the sky; DxO Smart Lighting applied (25%); DxO ClearView applied (50%); Highlights -25%; Shadows +10%; Blacks +5%; Contrast +25%; Microcontrast +25%; Vibrancy +25%; and PRIME noise reduction applied.

Today I'm presenting another HDR image from the recent light up event held at Nishi-Hongan-ji. This image is of a Drum Tower which is located at the North Eastern corner of the temple complex, but is best viewed from outside the grounds along Horikawa Dori. This tower contains two ancient drums that were used like chimes on a clock to sound out the time of day.
I took the photos used to make this HDR image on my way to get inside the temple grounds. The gates on Horikawa Dori which people normally enter the temple were closed during the light up and I had to use a side entrance. Had the main gates been open, I probably would have missed this tower.
There was no English signage about where to go for the light up, and even the Japanese signs were a bit few and far between. I just keep asking the security guards who were directing traffic in the area. Even when I finally got to where people were lining up to get in, the procedures to follow to get inside were a little vague, but eventually I made it in. I don't recall seeing any other non-Japanese person inside the temple grounds that evening. I thought it unusual since this is one of the most foreigner friendly temples publishing plenty of information in English and other foreign languages.
Nishi-Hongan-ji is a about a 15 minute walk to the North West from Kyoto Station. The simplest way to get there is turn left along Shiokoji Dori just outside of the north side of Kyoto station (Kyoto Tower side). Keep walking on Shiokoji Dori until you come to the T-junction at Horikawa Dori cross over Horikawa Dori and turn right on to the foot path on the far side. Head north along Horikawa Dori. The main entrance of Nishi-Hongan-ji is at the second set of traffic lights that you'll come to. Before Nishi-Hongan-ji there is a smaller and similar temple on your left called Kosho-ji. The land that temple occupies was once part of the Nishi-Hongan-ji's temple complex. Kosho-ji is now an independent temple, but follows basically the same kind of Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu) as Nishi-Hongan-ji. On your way back head down Syomen Dori (opposite the main gate) and zigzag towards the station through some interesting neighbourhoods.
Since Nishi-Hongan-ji faces east, unless you are going there for a light up, the best time of day to photograph it is in the morning. This also applies to nearby Higashi-Hongan-ji and Kosho-ji, they all face east.
This image is a HDR image produced from three photos taken at -2EV, 0EV +2EV with the Nikon Coolpix P7100 camera mounted on a tripod. I first processed the three RAW (.NRW) files in DxO Optics Pro. The only processing done in DxO Optics Pro was the default camera and lens corrections and PRIME noise reduction. From DxO Optics Pro the files were exported as Adobe Digital Negatives (.DNG files) to Aurora HDR 2017 where they were merged into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image.

Today's image looks like it could have been shot in one of the two Hanatouro light up events held in Kyoto, but it wasn't. This image was captured on Syomen Dori near the gate of Nishi-Hongan-ji (a Buddhist Temple near the Kyoto station). Most of the shops in this image are stores selling Buddhist supplies.
If you're unfamiliar with Hanatouro, they are light up events held in Higashiyama during March and in Arashiyama during December. Today's image was captured on October 10 in the Shimogyo ward of Kyoto city, far from either Higashiyama or Arashiyama. However three blocks of Syomen Dori were lined with Hanatouro style, lanterns as were some other streets near Nishi-Hongan-ji. Inside Nishi-Hongan-ji there was a light and sound show similar to the one done at Horin-ji during the Arashiyama Hanatouro, but in my opinion more tastefully done with much gentler music and much less extreme patterns projected on the temple buildings.
I'm not even sure if it is an annual event, but the Nishi-Hongan-ji and neighbourhood light up lasted 10 days this year from October 1st to October 10th. I only found out about it because on the 9th of October I walked passed Nishi-Hongan-ji during the day time and saw a poster advertising it. There were plenty of people at the temple, but most seemed to be locals and not tourists. I'm not sure how widely publicised the event was, as there was no English information or signage at the event. Normally this temple is very good at providing English and other foreign language information about their temple and beliefs.
It got me thinking that if this event was expanded to the other temples, shrines, parks and neighbourhoods around the Kyoto station area, then it could become a third Hanatouro. There are quite a few interesting old neighbourhoods in the Kyoto station area, which would look nice lit up and lined with Hanatouro lanterns. I for one would definitely like a third Hanatouro, especially in October which is usually nice weather for it, as long as we don't get a Typhoon through!
Nishi-Hongan-ji is a about a 15 minute walk to the North West from Kyoto Station.
This image is a HDR image produced from three photos taken at -2EV, 0EV and +2EV with the Nikon Coolpix P7100 camera mounted on a tripod. I first processed the three RAW (.NRW) files in DxO Optics Pro. The only processing done in DxO Optics Pro was the default camera and lens corrections and PRIME noise reduction. From DxO Optics Pro the files were exported as Adobe Digital Negatives (.DNG files) to Aurora HDR 2017 where they were merged into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image.

Set in a bamboo grove at the northern end of Kyoto city, Koto-in is very beautiful and tranquil place to visit. The grounds are covered in moss and the bamboos are accompanied by Japanese maples which give a marvellous display in mid to late November. Even without the autumn colour when I visited earlier this month, the greenery there was soothing to the eyes and the quietness of the grounds of the temple a good retreat from the bustle of the city.
Koto-in is one of the sub temples in a neighbourhood of Zen Buddhist Temples known as Daitoku-ji. It belongs to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, but it also has an interesting Christian connection. The temple was established in 1601 by Tadaoki Hosokawa whose wife Tama (baptised as "Gracia" which in Japanese is pronounced "Garasha") was a famous Christian during the time Christianity was illegal in Japan. Tadaoki's and Gracia's remains are interned in a stone lantern at the back of the temple.Garasha is the mascot of the city of Nagaokakyo in Kyoto prefecture as she and Tadaoki once resided in Shoryuji Castle in Nagaokakyo. In early November in Nagaokakyo there's an annual festival known as the Garasha Matsuri in her honour, with a costume parade on the 2nd Sunday of November. I've also BLOGGED a little more about Garasha on another site.
It is possible to walk to Koto-in from Kitaoji subway station (on the Kyoto Municipal subway's Karasuma line) to Koto-in, it takes about a 15 minute walk west along Kita-Oji Dori. The 205 bus stops right next to the Daitoku-ji Temple neighbourhood. You can transfer to a north bound Kyoto City Bus No. 205 from the Hankyu Kyoto line at Saiin station, from the JR Sagono line at Emmachi station, from the Randen Kitano line at Kitano-Hakubaicho station, and from the Randen Keifuku Dentetsu-Arashiyama line at Nishioji-Sanjo Station.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 Camera and an AF Nikkor 50f/1.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied (%25); DxO ClearView applied (50%); Contrast (+50%); Microcontrast (+25%); Highlights (-50%); Shadows (+10%); Blacks (-5%); Vibrancy (+50%); Saturation (+25%); PRIME Noise Reduction applied.

The five storied pagoda at To-ji (a Buddhist Temple) has been a symbol of Kyoto for a long time. Originally built in the 9th century, the current pagoda was built in 1644. Prior to the 1644 rebuild, the pagoda was burnt down by lighting strikes four times, but it has never been toppled by an earthquake, thanks to an earthquake absorbing design. At 55m high To-ji's pagoda is the highest pagoda in Japan and a national treasure.
To-ji which means "East Temple" was built as a guardian temple for the east side of the old city. There was also a temple called "Sai-ji" (West Temple) to guard the western side of the city, but this no longer exists, it's location was just to the south east of the present day Nishi-Oji Station on the JR Kyoto Line.
I mentioned in a previous BLOG that east is "higashi" and west is "nishi", that is correct those are the Japanese words. To (pronounced like the English word "toe") is the word for "east" borrowed from the Chinese Language which is also found in the word Tokyo (which means "East Palace"). Sai (or alternatively "Sei") is the word for "west" borrowed from the Chinese language. Just like when words borrowed from English are used in Japanese, the words borrowed from Chinese don't sound exactly the same as they do when spoken in Chinese. Unlike Chinese, Japanese is not tonal and has a much smaller syllabary.
Entrance to the garden by the pagoda normally cost 500yen for adults (but can be higher on special occasions, like night openings). The pagoda itself is not open to the public, but access to two other historical temple buildings of To-ji are included in the entrance fee. Unlike a lot of temples in Kyoto, because the floors of these two buildings are made of stone, there's no need to remove footwear to enter them.
To-ji is a 15 minute walk west from the Kyoto Station's Hachijo exit. To save a bit of a walk you can catch a local train on the Kintensu Railway one stop from Kyoto to Toji station (2 minutes, 150yen), this is a private railway line that's NOT covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D300 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF file) and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens adjustments applied; DxO Smart Lighting (25%); DxO Clear View (50%); Blacks (+10%); Contrast (+25%); Microcontrast (+25%); Vibrancy (+25%); and PRIME noise reduction applied.

The longer you stay here in Kyoto the more you'll see of the rhythms and patterns of life here. The mix of old and new, traditional and modern. The changing of the seasons and wonder that comes with it. One thing that many tourist overlook when they come here, are farming practices that take place not all that far away from the famous tourist attractions.
While there are less farmers than there used to be, there's a surprising high percentage of people involved in some kind of farming than you'd expect for such a modern place as Japan. Sure in the past it was a lot more, but still so much of the culture and customs centre around the cultivation of rice.
You don't have to go that far out from the downtown to start to see a bit of agriculture. Even in parts of the Fushimi ward of Kyoto city there are some large areas of rice fields. I recommend checking out the area to the West of Mukaijima station (Kintetsu's Kyoto line), only 17 minutes from Kyoto station by local train.
The rice cycle starts in late April to early May with planting and ends between mid September to mid October with harvest. Each stage has its own beauty: the reflections in the water of newly planted fields; the deep green of the fields in August; to the golden fields at harvest time. Sometimes after harvest fields are planted with Cosmos Flowers which is a beautiful sight from mid October to early November. Other times there are early spring crops planted in rice fields like rapeseed that flowers in March.
This photo was taken was a Nikon D80 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens. I made the following post processing changes in DxO Optics Pro: Image cropped slightly; Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting filter applied at 25%; DxO ClearView filter applied at 50%; Highlights -10%; Blacks -%5; Contrast +25%; Microcontrast +25%; Vibrancy +25%; and White Balance warmed slightly.

Higashi Hongan-ji is a Buddhist temple very near to Kyoto station, just behind the Yodobashi Camera building. It is the mother temple of the Otani-ha branch of Jodo-Shinsu Buddhism. This temple was formed when the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu caused the nearby Hongan-ji to split into two temples, because he felt the organisation had become too powerful. The original Hongan-ji became known as Nishi Hongan-ji. In Japanese "Higashi" means "East" and "Nishi" means "West".
Higashi Hongan-ji had been under renovation from about 2006 until recently. A huge tent like structure covered The Founder's Hall (in the centre of this photo) during the renovations. The Founder's Hall dates back to 1895 (the original was destroyed by fire). It was built using traditional architectural and building techniques and is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world.
There is no entrance fee to enter grounds of Higashi Hongan-ji. There's some written information around the grounds in English about the history of the buildings. Additionally, an English electronic audio guide headset is available for a rental of 500yen + a 500yen deposit. When I was there recently, there was a service on in The Founder's Hall and temporary looking signage was posted at the entrance of the hall saying no photos inside The Founder's Hall. I know that when there are no services on at the nearby Nishi Hogan-ji it's OK to photo inside the buildings (which is rare in Kyoto). I'm not sure on the rule in Higashi Hongan-ji.
Higashi Hongan-ji is on Karasuma-dori (Karasuma street) about 5 minutes walk North of Kyoto station. You'll pass the Kyoto tower and the Yodobashi Camera building on your left on the way there. Another site nearby Higashi Hongan-ji is the garden known as Shosei-en, which is about a 3 minute walk to the East. Nishi Hongan-ji is a 12 minute walk to the West from Higashi Hongan-ji.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D300 camera and a Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM lens. This photo was captured as RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro, I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens adjustments applied; DxO Smart Lighting (25%); DxO Clear View (50%); Highlights (-10%); Blacks (-5%); Microcontrast (+25%); Vibrancy (+25%); and PRIME noise reduction applied.

Teramachi is a combination of two Japanese words "tera" meaning "temple" and "machi" meaning "town". So Teramachi-Dori means "temple town street". The reason for the street's name is that it used to have many temples along the Eastern side of it (to the left of this photo). There still are some temples remaining on the eastern side, especially south of Shijo-Dori. Along the western side there were many businesses supporting the temples such as shops selling Buddhist rosaries, incense, candles and altars. Now-a-days none of these shops remain on Teramachi-Dori.
The stretch of Teramachi-Dori between Shijo-Dori and Oike-Dori has been mostly covered and turned into a shopping arcade. There are actually two seperate sections of the arcade: a larger southern section between Shijo-Dori to Sanjo-Dori and a smaller northern section between the other side of Sanjo-Dori and Oike-Dori. This photo was taken near Sanjo-Dori looking south along the southern section.
The building to the left of this photo is Mishima Tei a famous Sukiyaki restaurant. This place is so well known, that when I show this photo to my Japanese friends they instantly exclaim "Oh Mishima Tei!". This restaurant is quite expensive, but they do give a small discount to tourists. On the ground floor there is also a butcher's shop selling the famed Mishima beef (Mishima-gyu).
Teramachi Arcade is a popular shopping spot in Kyoto, there are restaurants and shops to suit all tastes and budgets. The nearest train stations are Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae on the Kyoto Municipal Subway's Tozai line and Kawaramachi on Hankyu Railway's Kyoto line.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D300 camera and a Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM lens. This photo was captured as RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro, I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens adjustments applied; DxO Smart Lighting (25%); DxO Clear View (50%); Highlights (-25%); Blacks (+10); Contrast (+25%); Microcontrast (+25%); Vibrancy (+25%); and PRIME noise reduction applied.

Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine is a small Shinto Shrine in the heart of Kyoto's downtown. While walking along the Shinkyogoku Arcade in the evening it is hard to miss its beautifully lit up entrance. The lantern clad gate on the eastern side of the arcade is actually the inner gate of this Shrine. The outer torii style gate spans Nishiki dori to the west between the Shinkyogoku Arcade and the Teramachi Arcade.
I took this photo on the same day as I took the photo of Yata-Dera in the previous BLOG post. I passed Nishiki Tenmangu on the way to and from Yata-Dera. On the way up to Yata-Dera Nishiki Tenmangu was pretty crowded with tourists, but on the way back when I got this shot there weren't so many people there. Since it is a Tenmangu Shrine, there will probably be some kind of plum blossoms on display there from late February to early March. I'll have to keep a look out for them at that time of the year.
Speaking of the time of the year, currently (September 17th), we are in the autumn rainy season. This is a shorter rainy season (than the one in June-July) that comes after the hottest part of summer. When this rainy season is over, we will be very much into the autumn weather. This time of year is also the time when we have the most typhoons hitting Japan, so please be aware of any coming typhoons if you're traveling around Japan at the moment. A good website on weather and other natural events in English is the one provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine is about a 5 minute walk from Hankyu's Kawamachi Station and about a 10 minute walk from Keihan's Gion-Shijo Station. Alternatively if you want to explore the Nishiki Markets first, then get off at Hankyu's Karasuma Station or the Subway's Shijo-Karasuma Station on the Karasuma Line. The start of the Nishiki Markets are about a 5min walk from those stations.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D300 camera and a Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM lens. This photo was captured as RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro, I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens adjustments applied; DxO Smart Lighting (25%); DxO Clear View (50%); Highlights (-25%); Contrast (+25%); Microcontrast (+25%); Vibrancy (+25%); and PRIME noise reduction applied.

Yata-Dera is a small buddhist temple in the Teramachi-Dori Arcade in downtown Kyoto. It was originally built as a sub temple of Yata-Dera in Nara. This sub temple dates back to about the 9th century. However originally it was moved from placed to place. It has been in it's present location since 1579. It amazing to see it's still standing, since it's surrounded by concrete buildings these days.
In case you're wondering what those Swastika-like symbols are, they are an ancient Buddhist symbol called "Manji". It is used on maps in Japan to denote a location of a Buddhist Temple. There has been much debate recently about changing the symbol on maps to a pagoda to be more foreigner friendly in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. A News Article on the changing of the Buddhist Temple mark on maps.
Yata-Dera is on Teramachi Dori just North of the crossing with Sanjo-Dori. The nearest train stations are Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae on the Kyoto Municipal Subway's Tozai line and Kawaramachi on Hankyu Railway's Kyoto line. There is no entrance fee to visit it.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D300 camera and a Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM lens. This photo was captured as RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro, I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens adjustments applied; DxO Smart Lighting (25%); DxO Clear View (50%); Highlights (-25%); Blacks (+10); Contrast (+25%); Microcontrast (+25%); Vibrancy (+25%); and PRIME noise reduction applied.

The summer heat in heart of the city can be a bit overwhelming at times. With all the air-conditioners outputting hot air and so much concrete which stores even more heat. Sometimes you just want to run away from it all. One way to combat it is to introduce a bit of greenery to your house or shop, as the owners of this place have done.
In Japan many people grow vines outside their houses in the summer which are called "green curtains". A popular plant is the morning glory (known in Japanese as "asa-gao", "morning face"), but sometimes I've even seen people growing Bitter Gourd ("Goya" in Japanese) as a green curtain. These green curtains are particularly beautiful against the traditional Kyoto houses and shops. It best to view them in the evening or just after a summer thunderstorm has passed, when it's not so oppressively hot.
This place is on Shinbashi-dori a street with many traditional restaurants and tea houses. The eastern end of Shinbashi-dori joins to Shirakawa-Minami-dori which is one of Kyoto's most famous streets. It is worth exploring them both and I find that Shinbashi-dori is often quiet, because most of the people visiting Kyoto stick to Shirakawa-Minami-dori. Shinbashi-dori is two blocks south from the number 2 exit of Keihan's Sanjo station on the Keihan Main Line. The station is also a stop on the Kyoto Municipal Subway's Tozai Line.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default Camera and Lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied (25%); Highlights (-10%); Blacks (+10%); DxO Clear View applied (50%); Microcontrast (+25%); and PRIME Noise Reduction Applied.

Daimonji is the name of the character in this photo, the meaning of this character is "big" or "great". There are actually three characters and two symbols on the sides of mountains that are set alight on the night of August 16th every year to mark the end of the Obon season. The name of this festival is Gozan no Okuribi, but people commonly refer to it as Daimonji. While there is only one each of the other two characters and the two symbols, there are two giant Daimonji on the sides of mountains in Kyoto. The one in this photo is the one near Ginkakuji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion). The other Diamonji is near Kinkakuji (the Temple of the Golden Pavilion).
The spot most people go to get a close view of three characters is along the Western bank of the Kamo River (Kamogawa) between Sanjo-dori and Imadegawa-dori. To see the two symbols as well you really have to go on the roof top of tall a building. The Kyoto Tower actually raffles off tickets to view the fires from there, but it's quite far from the fires. Another place people go on the 16th is to the Hirosawa pond in Arashiyama. I think only one of the symbols is visible from there, but there are many floating lanterns placed in the pond.
I took this photo last year, it was my first time to view the festival. There were a few rain showers that evening, but we enjoyed ourselves and had some nice conversations with people we meet in the crowds. After the fires went out, we found a nice restaurant near the bridge on Sanjo-dori and had dinner.
The photo was taken handheld with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default Camera and Lens Corrections; DxO Smart Lighting (25%); Prime Noise Reduction; and Cropped to 5:4 ratio.

Today (August 10, 2016) I'm featuring another photo from our day trip to Ohara last summer. This photo was taken after we visited Sanzen-in, we walked further up the road until we came to another temple, but it wasn't open. So this photo is of one of the gates of that temple. Looking at the map it was probably Raigo-in or one of the smaller temples across the road from it.
Please see the previous Kyoto BLOG post "Sanzen-in" for details on how to get from Kyoto's downtown to Ohara.
Currently, I'm on the second day of a 10 day summer break from teaching, but yesterday I spend the most of day doing preparations for the September to January classes. We (my wife and I) are hoping go on at least one day trip to the mountains of Kyoto. We are thinking of going to Rurikei, in Nantan city, Kyoto prefecture.
Please note I've been adding a lot of photos up to the "Going Back in Time" gallery recently, which is the prequel to the "My New Life in Japan" gallery.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2 lens with a circular polarising filter. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied at 25%; Blacks (+%25); DxO ClearView filter applied at 50%; and the Image Cropped to 4:3 ratio.

It's been over a month since my last Kyoto BLOG post. This July there were just too many things on my plate! Well, it's now August and the weather is very hot (37C & 60%+ humidity today), but it's a quieter month for work. One good place to escape from a bit of the summer heat is in Ohara in the mountains about an hour North of Kyoto's downtown. Sanzen-in (三千院) a historical Tendai Buddhist Temple is the main attraction in Ohara.
Sanzen-in was founded in 804 and the building in this photo is Ojo Gokuraku-in Hall which is the oldest remaining building in Sanzen-in being built in 1143. Sanzen-in is a large temple complex with a number of buildings, pathways and gardens. One garden known as Shuhekien is one of the most photographed gardens in Japan.
There are no trains to Ohara, so either you'll have to catch a bus or go by private transport. What is not told to you in many travel guidebooks and on other websites is that the best place to catch the bus to Ohara is from just outside Kokusaikaikan (K01) Station on the Kyoto Subway's Karasuma line. Catch a No. 19 Kyoto Bus Co. from stop 3. Catching the bus from there means you'll avoid the most congested areas of Kyoto city.
Between the main bus stop in Ohara and Sanzen-in there are a number of traditional restaurants and stores where you can stop for a meal or a snack. A famous snack from Ohara is a cold cucumber on a stick. There are a few other temples in the area, as well as a traditional village and places where you can do a bit of hiking. There are even a few traditional inns in Ohara if you want to make it more than a day trip.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2 lens with a circular polarising filter. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied at 25%; Highlights (-100%); Midtones (+25%); Shadows (+25%); Blacks (+%10); DxO ClearView filter applied at 50%; Microcontrast (+50%); and PRIME noise reduction applied.

This year I finally got the chance to go to the Hydrangea Light Up at Mimuroto-ji (Mimuroto Temple) in Uji city, Kyoto Prefecture. May through to mid July is one of the busiest times of the year for our English teaching. Since most of our classes are in the afternoons through to the evenings, I don't often get the chance to go out at night at this time of year.
So let me tell you about the day that I went to the light up. It was on a Sunday and I had free evening and a late start on Monday, but it had been raining heavily all day. Fortunately the rain finished around 4pm and the light up started at 7pm. The temperature was not too bad (23C), but the humidity after all the rain was at about 95%. This caused the dew point to be about 21C, so anything slightly cooler than air temperature got wet. You can just imaging how much water was dripping off of any cool drink bottles out of a vending machine!
The first leg of the journey to Mimuroto-ji was a 15 minute ride on my heavy Japanese Shopping Bike (aka "Mamachari") to Yodo station. From there it was two trains, and about 25 minutes later I was at Mimurodo station. From Mimurodo station to Mimuroto-ji it's about a 15 minute slightly uphill walk. As you can see it was pretty crowded at Mimuroto-ji that evening, it took about an hour and a half to slowly move through the gardens. Then I had to get back home. So plenty of walking and riding.Depending on where you are in Kyoto it might not be such a hike for you to get to Mimuroto-ji. If you're in the downtown area, you can catch a train on the Keihan Main Line to Chushojima and then change on to the Keihan Uji Line. From Gion-Shijo station in the centre of the downtown the total train time to Mimurodo station is 29 minutes. If you're traveling on a Japan Rail (JR) Pass or in the Kyoto Station area, you can catch the JR Nara Line to Obaku station, which takes about 25 minutes from Kyoto Station. From Obaku there are some buses that go near Mimuroto-ji.
The evening openings are held in June when the Hydrangeas are in bloom for about three weeks, it starts at 7pm and finishes at 9pm. Normal opening hours for Mimuroto-ji are 8:30am - 4:30pm April-October, and 8:30am - 4:00pm November-March. There are three flowers that Mimuroto-ji is famous for, Azaleas (late April to early May), Hydrangeas (June), and Lotuses (early July to early August). Mid-late November is also another good time to visit Mimuroto-ji for the Autumn Foliage Colours.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D700 Camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made following adjustments: Default Camera and Lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied at 25%; DxO Clear View Applied at 50%; Contrast +25%; Microcontrast +25%; Vibrancy +25%; and PRIME Noise Reduction applied at 30%.

A great way to end a day of sightseeing is to take in the sunset from the Kyoto Tower. The tower is close handy to many restaurants, shops, hotels and Kyoto Station. If you're staying in a hotel near the station, you don't have to journey too far to enjoy the rest of your evening.
Kyoto Tower is one sight nearby Kyoto Station, there are a number of others within walking distance from the station, these include the following temples: Higashi Honganji, Nishi Honganji, Toji, and Koushou-ji. Other attractions include: Shousei-en Garden, Umekoji Park, Kyoto Aquarium and the recently opened Train Museum. There's also plenty of shopping near the Kyoto station including: Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, an Aeon Mall, and Isetan Department. Apart from Bic Camera the rest of those places have a huge range of restaurants. However, my favourite places to eat around the station area, are in Porta(in Japanese it's pronounced "po-ru-ta") which is directly below the Northern Bus stands of Kyoto Station.
This photo was taken back in 2007, when I was just visiting Kyoto on vacation, before I moved here in 2008. We were staying at a hotel near the Kyoto Station and the Hotel gave us complementary passes to the Kyoto Tower. If we had not received those passes, I may have not gone up, as a friend had told me it wasn't so great. I found out later, that prior to my visit in 2007, they had renovated the Tower which made it a lot better.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D50 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens mounted on a tripod. I made the following edits to the image in DxO Optics Pro: Default camera and lens corrections; DxO Smart Lighting (25%); DxO ClearView (25%); Highlights -25%; Shadows +5%; Blacks +10%; Contrast +25; Microcontrast +25%; and Vibrancy +25.

We are very much into the "tsuyu" (aka "summer monsoon" or "rainy season") now in Kyoto and Hydrangeas are in bloom everywhere. Tsuyu (梅雨) literally translates to "plum rains", as these rains come at time of the ripening of the plums in Japan. This photo was taken in the tsuyu of 2011 at Mimuroto-ji (Mimuroto temple), in one of Kyoto's biggest Hydrangea ("Ajisai" in Japanese) gardens.
According to Mimuroto-ji's website (in Japanese), the Hydrangeas are now in bloom. The gardens are open 8:30am to 4:30pm. Until June 26, they're also open at night from 7pm to 9pm. The flowers are lit up with special lighting at night.
Mimuroto-ji is a 16 minute walk from Mimurodo station on the Keihan Uji Line. If you're coming from Kyoto's downtown area catch a train on Keihan's Main line and change to the the Uji line at Chushojima. While there's no JR station nearby, there are buses from JR's Obaku station (on JR's Nara line) to just outside Mimoroto-ji (I'm not sure on their frequency though). The JR plus bus option is good if you're coming from around the Kyoto station area.
Another temple in Kyoto famous for Hydrangeas is Yokoku-ji. They will be holding their annual Ajisai Matsuri (Hydrangea Festival) on June 25th and 26th. During the festival there will be regular shuttle buses from the west side of JR Nagaokakyo Station. The buses will also stop near Hankyu Railway's Nagaoka Tenjin Station and the Nagaokakyo City Cultural Centre (near the Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine). Unfortunately there's no public transport to Yokoku-ji on other days, so you either need to go there by car or taxi. It's about 4.4km mostly up hill from Nagaoka Tenjin Station (the nearest station) to Yokoku-ji, not really walking distance during the summer monsoon, even if it's not raining!
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens. The following post processing edits were done in DxO Optics Pro: Default Camera and Lens corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting applied (25%); DxO ClearView applied (50%); Highlights reduced (-10%); Contrast increased (50%); Microcontrast decreased (-25%);and Vibrancy increased (50%).

The summer monsoon (aka "the rainy season" or "tsuyu") officially started in Kyoto yesterday (Sunday, June 5th), so it won't be long until hydrangeas reach their peak. The photo for today's blog is another one I took in Miyama-Kayabuki-no-Sato during the summer monsoon of 2014. I like this photo because not only does it have hydrangeas but also the Kayabuki (thatched roof houses) the area is famous for.
The thatched roof houses of the Miyama area are of a different design to the those found in Gifu and Toyama, which are known as Gasho-zukuri (praying hands houses). However, the roofs of both the Kayabuki and the Gasho-zukuri serve the same purpose and that is to prevent a build up of the wet heavy snow that that occurs in all of these locations. Without this kind of steep roof, the weight of the snow can crush houses.
When visiting Miyama be sure to try the local sweet river fish known as "ayu", especially good served with hot soba noddles. Another local product I always want to eat in Miyama is the famous Miyama soft serve ice cream, which is made from local milk. However, I'm not sure where the diaries are, because I've never seen any cows near the village or even along the 23km route from Hiyoshi.
See my previous BLOG "Hydrangeas and Traditional House" for detailed transport information on how to get to Miyama-Kayabuki-no-Sato.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2 lens. The following edits where applied to the image in DxO Optics Pro: Default camera and lens corrections; DxO Smart Lighting (25%); DxO ClearView (50%); Contrast (+25%); and Microcontrast (+25%).
P.S. Shout to my fellow smugmuggers, has anyone tried DxO Optics Pro version 11? Is it worth the cost of upgrading from version 10?

Normally the summer monsoon starts sometime in early June in Kyoto. In Japanese it is known as "tsuyu" (梅雨). If people use English here they call it "the rainy season". If you do a Google image search with the Japanese characters for tsuyu, you'll see lots of pictures of Hydrangeas ("ajisai" in Japanese), since they are considered the flower of the rainy season. (aside: Now I realise why we had problems growing them in Perth, Australia, since summer there is dry and arid).
There are a number of good spots in Kyoto for viewing the hydrangeas these include: Mimuroto-ji, Yokoku-ji, Umenomiya Taisha, Shisen-do, and Myoushin-ji. Today's photo was taken in Miyama-Kayabuki-no-sato, which is also a great place to see Hydrangeas, albeit they bloom a little later there given its cooler mountain location.
The best way to get to the Miyama-Kayabuki-no-sato area is by private transport, however if you don't mind spending a couple hours to get there from Kyoto city it's possible to use train and bus. The times I've used the train and bus, I've caught the JR Sagano-Sanin line from Kyoto station to Hiyoshi (note at this station there are no IC card readers, so if you're not someone who's travelling in Japan with a Japan Rail Pass, you'll have to buy cash tickets). From Hiyoshi, it's either one or two buses (depending on the time of day) just tell the driver you're going to "Kita-sato" and they'll let you know where you have to change buses if you need to. There are more buses on weekends than weekdays, during the week there's only about one bus every two hours or so! There are also bus tours to Miyama departing from Kyoto station and Nishiyama-Tennozan station (Hankyu Kyoto Line), however they don't run everyday, please check with a tourist office.
There nearest station with car rentals is Sonobe which is even further from Miyama than Hiyoshi, but has more frequent trains from Kyoto. The roads from Sonobe to Miyama (route 19 and then route 38) are pretty good, so it might be the way to go if you don't want to rely on bus schedules. If you're driving from Kyoto or Osaka there's an exit on the Kyoto North Expressway at Sonobe. If you don't want to use an expressway, then using route 162 followed by route 38 is the way to get there from Kyoto city.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens. This is the jpeg straight from the camera. No post processing was performed on the image.

From late May to early June the Irises bloom in the gardens of Heian-jingu (Heian Shrine). The expansive gardens at Heian-jingu are worth visiting anytime of the year, but there are two times in the year when they are extra special: in early April for the Weeping Cherries (Shidarezakura) and now when the Irises are in bloom.
Heian-jingu was built in 1895 to celebrate 1100 years since Kyoto became the capital of Japan. The shrine's design is based on the first palace that was built in Kyoto (which no longer stands). That palace in turn was design based on Chinese Tang Dynasty palaces, so this Shinto shrine has a rather Chinese look to it.
Heian-jingu also has the largest Torii (shrine gate) in Kyoto. This gate is situated across the road leading up to the shrine which it makes it easy to find the shrine. Entry to the shrine grounds is free, but you have to pay to enter the gardens.
Heian-jingu is a about a 1.0km walk to the north from Higashiyama Station on the Subway Tozai line. Another option is about a 1.5km walk to the east from Keihan's Jingumarutamachi Station. If you can't walk so far, then you could get a bus northward on Jingu-michi from near Higashiyama station or you could catch a bus eastwards on Maruta-machi Dori from near Jingumarutamachi Station. If you've got time it's worth walking from either of the stations as there are many interesting things to see on the way.
This photo features in the June 2016 edition of my promotional photo prints, which I'll be handing out to visitors to Kyoto over the next week or so. It was captured on Fujicolor Superia Premium 400 film with a Nikon F80 camera and an AF-Nikkor 50f/1.8D lens with circular polarising filter. The film processing shop scanned the negative for me. I then made some adjustments to the scan in DxO Optics Pro to produce the image you see here. I also took notes of all the exif data when I shot this photo which I've added image. I don't shoot much film these days, but when I do always ask them to scan the film (negatives or reversals) for me. They normally do a better job it than what I can do myself, plus it saves me a lot of time.

Today (May 24th), I'm sharing another shot I took out at Kamishichiken on May 14. Kamishichiken is the least visited by tourists of all of the "Hanamachi" (Geisha districts) and its symbol is the reverse of the most visited Hanamachi - Gion-Kobu. Kamishichiken's symbol is red dango (rice balls) on a white background, Gion-Kobu is white dango on a red background. The symbol is shown on the lanterns in this shot, take a look at the lanterns in the shot two entries ago to see the Gion-Kobu symbol.
People going to the tea houses arrive by Taxi and the streets are fairly quiet otherwise. I took a few photos of these buildings. Catching the lady on her "mamachari" (what the cheap heavy shopping bicycles are called in Japan - it's a contraction of "Mama's chariot") added a bit of movement and life to the photo. It also shows the location's suburban setting. Bicycles are how most locals in Kyoto's suburbs get about day to day, much easier than trying to negotiate Kyoto's narrow roads with cars.
There are also plenty of places where you can rent a mamachari and explore Kyoto at cycle pace. Although I wouldn't recommend cycling around the downtown area, as there is too much foot traffic and very few places you can legally park bicycles. Bicycles are great out in Kyoto's suburbia, plus there's normally either one or two baskets for your bags.
Please see the previous BLOG "Maiko-san in Kamishichiken" for detailed transport options for getting to Kamishichiken. It's best to go in the early evenings if you want to spot a Maiko-san. If you're looking for somewhere to eat around the area there's a Sushi Restaurant and Western Restaurant on the main street, the meals are in the 2,000 to 6,000 yen range for dinner. For cheaper meal options there are a number of places on Imedegawa-Dori south west from the Kitano-Tenmangu-Mae bus stop.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; spot white balance applied; Highlights (- 15); DxO Smart lighting (25); DxO Clear View (50); Microcontrast (+25); Vibrancy (+25); and PRIME noise reduction (40).

I had brief encounter with a Maiko-san (apprentice Geisha) while taking some photos in the Kamishichiken neighbourhood in Kyoto city on Saturday evening (May 14th). I was taking some photos of an interesting traditional restaurant (which is not shown in this photo), when I suddenly heard the distinctive sound of someone walking in "okobo" (the tall "geta" shoes which Maiko wear). No sooner than I lifted my head, did I find myself only a couple of metres away from a Maiko-san. I wasn't going to be rude and try to photo her face up so close, so I waited a moment for her to pass by and snapped this departing shot.
The Kamishichiken neighbourhood is Kyoto's oldest Geisha district (called "hanamachi" in Japanese). Unlike the other hanamachi in Kyoto city, it's much further away from the downtown, so there are not so many tourists around. It is located across the road from the eastern side of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. The north eastern exit/entrance of the shrine grounds is directly opposite the main street of Kamishichiken.
To get to Kamishichiken catch a number 203 bus and alight at Kitano-Tenmangu-Mae it's about a 5 minute walk from the bus stop to the main street of Kamishichiken. The 203 bus runs on almost horseshoe shaped route from near Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion) to near Hankyu's Kawaramachi station in Kyoto's downtown area and vice versa. If you're coming from Kyoto's downtown, avoid taking this bus in the section along Shijo-Dori from Kawamachi-Dori to Nishioji-Dori as that's always heavily congested. Instead get the Hankyu Railway from Kawaramachi to Saiin Station and then hop on a 203 bound for Ginkaku-ji on Nishioji-Dori just across the road from the only exit of Saiin station. If you're coming from the Kyoto Station area catch the JR Sagano Line (aka "Sanin Main Line") to Emmachi then catch a Ginkaku-ji bound 203 on Nishioji-Dori which is just east of the station. If you are using a combined Subway and Kyoto City Bus day pass you can transfer to the Ginkaku-ji bound 203 bus at Nishioji-Oike Station (Subway Tozai Line) or to the Kawaramachi bound 203 bus at Imedegawa Station (Karasuma Line).
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; spot white balance applied; Highlights (-25); Blacks (+25); DxO Smart lighting (25); DxO Clear View (50); Contrast (+50); Microcontrast (+25); Vibrancy (+25); PRIME noise reduction (40); and Unsharp Mask Applied (at default settings).

One of the questions I'm often asked is "Where can I see some Geishas?". A second popular question (especially for those just coming off the train at Kyoto station) is "Where are the traditional neighbourhoods?". If you've arrived in Kyoto via the Shinkansen or a JR train, you'll probably recall that there's nothing much traditional to see when you exit Kyoto station. If you really want to see a bit of the traditional Kyoto, you've got to head to Gion, especially in the evening.
The thing is even Gion itself has its modern and traditional sections, it requires a bit of exploration, but it is well worth the effort. Probably the first place to start is Hanamikoji-Dori (the section south of Shijo-Dori). While it certainly can be pretty crowded with tourist there, it is a street with a lot history and some famous Ochaya (tea houses where Geisha entertain clients). In the evening you might just spot a Geisha hurrying on her way to an appointment. By day you might spot tourists who've paid to dress up as Geisha. You may also see plenty of others wearing kimonos. Make sure you explore some of the smaller streets and alleys that branch off of Hanamikoji-Dori as there are so many fascinating things to see in those.
The nearest train stations to Gion are the Keihan Railway's Gion-Shijo Station (on the Keihan Main Line) and the Hankyu Railway's Kawaramachi Station (on the Hankyu Kyoto Line). Hanamikoji-Dori is a 4min walk East from the Keihan's Gion-Shijo Station (use exit 6) and a 6min walk East from Hankyu's Kawaramachi Station (use exit 1B). If you're coming from the Kyoto Station area you can catch the Kyoto Municipal Subway's Karasuma line two stops North to Shijo station. Hanamikoji-Dori is a 17min walk East of Shijo station (use exit 1). While I don't recommend catching buses from Kyoto station, because they are always packed and the traffic is congested around there, it is possible to catch a bus from the station to Yasaka-jinja (Yasaka Shrine). From the Shrine's front gate it's a 3min walk West to Hanamikoji-Dori. However, the Subway plus the longer walk is probably going to be much quicker than the bus!
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 85f/1.8D lens. The following edits where made: The image was cropped: the highlights were reduced; and the micro contrast was increased.

The shot for today's (May 7th) BLOG is another one of the Azaleas I took on April 29th at Mimuroto-ji. It's from the top of the Azalea hill which featured in the "Among the Azaleas" BLOG on April 29th. The building in the background is the Hondo (main temple hall) at Mimuroto-ji. To get to the Hondo from the location I took this photo is a bit of a walk, down one hill and up another. Since the shot was taken with the lens zoomed to 230mm, it looks about 4.5x closer than it really is.
Mimuroto-ji is a 16 minute walk from Mimurodo station on the Keihan Uji Line. If you're coming from Kyoto's downtown area catch a train on Keihan's Main line and change to the the Uji line at Chushojima. While there's no JR station nearby, there are buses from JR's Obaku station (on JR's Nara line) to just outside Mimoroto-ji (I'm not sure on their frequency though). The JR plus bus option is good if you're coming from around the Kyoto station area.
For the next couple of weeks I have a busy schedule of teaching. After that I hope to be back out handing out a new batch of promotional photo prints. I'm planning for the next few BLOG posts to address some of my most common queries I receive from tourists in Kyoto. My aim is that this BLOG can help you make the most of your time in Kyoto. Also if you see any photos here you'd like as memento of your time in Kyoto, please consider helping support this BLOG by buying prints or other photo gifts by clicking the "Buy" button. Note the Kyoto watermark does NOT appear on any prints or photo gifts purchased.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens with a circular polarising filter. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed with DxO Optics Pro. I made following adjustments: DxO Smart Lighting (25%); DxO Clear view (50%); Vibrancy (+25); Contrast (+25); Microcontrast (+25); PRIME Noise Reduction (40%); and Default camera and lens corrections applied.

Nestled in a suburban neighbourhood behind an elementary school is a small Buddhist temple by the name of Otokuni-dera. However despite its modest location and size, it is a temple with a long history (going back to the 9th century AD) and has treasures connected to one of Japan most famous historical figures, Prince Shotoku. Another remarkable thing about Otokuni-dera is it's vast collection of around 2000 Peony flowers which in bloom during April and May.
Otokuni-dera is located in Nagaokakyo city in Kyoto prefecture about 13km from Kyoto's downtown. To get from Nagaokakyo city from Kyoto's downtown take the Hankyu Railway's Kyoto line to Nagaoka Tenjin (about 15mins). If you're coming from the Kyoto station area catch a local JR train heading towards Osaka to Nagaokakyo (about 12mins). To get to Otokuni-dera from either of these train stations catch a number 10, 11, 20, or 22 bus and alight at the stop called "Yakushido" (which is about a 5min walk from the temple). At JR's Nagaokakyo station these buses' platforms are located the West side of the station. To transfer to a bus from Hankyu's Nagaoka Tenjin station you need to use the west exit of the station and head north to Azalea-dori then turn left and head west up the street for about a block.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. I made the following adjustments to it in DxO Optics Pro: Default camera and lens corrections where applied; Image was cropped a bit; DxO Smart Lighting Applied; DxO ClearView Applied (at Default); Contrast increased; Microcontrast increased; and Vibrancy increased.

Today (April 29th) I was out at Mimuroto-ji (Mimuroto temple) in Uji city, Kyoto prefecture to check out the Azaleas there. After our hottest day so far for the year on Tuesday (29C), we had two days of rain and in the temperatures in the low 20's, but today it was much cooler actually the maximum was about 14C. With more unseasonably cool weather (although a bit warmer than today) forecast, the Azaleas at Mimuroto-ji should last at least another couple of weeks.
The huge arrays of Azaleas must be seen in person to truly be appreciated. See if you can find the two people in this photo and it will give you an idea of the size of the Azalea hill there. While the hill is made up of the three common colours of Azaleas found in Japan (known in Japanese as "Tsutsuji"), there are many other flowers in the Rhododendron family to be found in various parts of the temple's gardens.
The previous blog (Under a Red Umbrella) contains all the transport details on how to get to Mimuroto-ji. My advice is if you're in Kyoto at the moment, get out to see it! Maybe include a visit to Byodoin and Uji Shrine, to make a day of it.
This photo was taken with a Nikon Coolpix P7100 camera. It was captured as a RAW (.NRW) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera corrections applied; DxO Smart Lighting Applied; DxO ClearView Applied (at Default); PRIME noise reduction applied; Microcontrast increased; White Balanced warmed; and Vibrancy increased.

A big "Hello" if you're visiting my website today, because you received one of my promotional photo prints from me yesterday outside the Kyoto Tower yesterday. Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far in Kyoto (max 29C), and the Azaleas were in bloom outside the Kyoto station. I received an enquiry yesterday about what sights are near to JR Stations. I realise that many of you may be wanting to make the most of your Japan Rail Passes, so I've started tagging the sights near to a JR Station with JRAccess (click on the link to see what sights are tagged).
This Red Umbrella photo has featured in a couple of my other galleries on this website and is my most popular photo by number of comments. I want to share a bit about the background story to this photo: It is a large umbrella over some outdoor seats outside the cafe in the gardens of Mimuroto-ji temple. On my very first Golden Week (a week in late April/Early May when there are four public holidays) in Japan, our friend took us to Uji city by car and our first stop was at Mimuroto-ji to see the huge arrays of Azaleas there. The sun was bright that day and I was kind of drawn to the interesting light coming through this umbrella. I took a few shots from different angles and this one from directly underneath turned out the best.
There are a few other shots from from Mimuroto-ji featured in this Kyoto BLOG. One of them was taken on the same day as this one, but the rest were taken at least two years later. About a year later I learned of Mimuroto-ji's famed Hydrangeas from a Japanese BLOGGER who lives in Kyoto, but it wasn't until another year later that I figured out how to get there quickly by public transport from my house! Once I had figured that out I went back quite a few times: For Azaleas in late April to early May, for Hydrangeas in Mid June and for Lotuses in late July. This place is pretty impressive for all of these flowers.
Mimuroto-ji is a 16 minute walk from Mimurodo station on the Keihan Uji Line. At peak flowering times you can just follow the crowds making their way there! Off-peak the place is very quiet and peaceful. If you're coming from Kyoto's downtown area catch a train on Keihan's Main line and change to the the Uji line at Chushojima. While there's no JR station nearby, there are buses from JR's Obaku station (on JR's Nara line) to just outside Mimoroto-ji (I'm not sure on their frequency though). The JR plus bus option is good if you're coming from around the Kyoto station area.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D80 camera and an AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. This is the jpeg (.JPG) straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

At Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine in Nagaokakyo city there are some famous Kirishima Azaleas. These bushes are listed as important cultural assets. The light up is currently on at the moment (April 25th), but the warmer weather than usual means that flowers probably will only last a few more days. The regular Azaleas are also blooming, so the whole shrine park is a beautiful sight to behold. I suspect that other famous Azalea spots in Kyoto like Mimuroto-ji should also be good right now.
Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine Park is 4 minute walk west from Nagaoka Tenjin Station which is on Hankyu's Kyoto Line (about a 15min trip from Kawaramachi Station in Kyoto's downtown). If you're coming from near the Kyoto station area catch a local JR train heading towards Osaka and alight at Nagaokakyo (about 12mins from Kyoto). From there are a number of buses that stop near the shrine, although it's only about 15min walk to the west up Tenjin-Dori.
This photo was taken with Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8 lens mounted on a tripod. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) file and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: DxO Smart Lighting Applied; DxO ClearView Applied (at Default); PRIME noise reduction applied; Shadows areas brightened; Microconstrast increased; and Vibrancy increased.

I'm concluding my mini series on the Fushimi-Momoyama area with this photo from a beautiful old shopping street. This street contains many old shop buildings and some very interesting murals (I might post a couple shots of those later). If you're interested in doing some shopping there, you might need to go a bit earlier than the time I took the photo, I think most places close at about 5pm. I do recommend the ice cream shop which uses milk from Kyoto's Miyama district.
The best access to the Fushimi-Momoyama area is by train. Fushimi-Momoyama on the Keihan Railway's Main line is the best option if you're heading from Kyoto's downtown or Osaka. If you're in the Kyoto Station area use the Kintentsu Railway and alight at Momoyamagoryo-mae. Unfortunately there's no JR station nearby, JR Rail Pass users will need to purchase tickets to travel on the Keihan or Kintentsu railways.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart lighting applied; DxO ClearView applied (default); PRIME noise reduction applied; Highlights reduced; Blacks increased; Microcontrast increased; and Vibrancy increased.
The weather in Kyoto continues to warm up as we head towards summer. The Azaleas are already blooming about 2 weeks earlier than usual. The Kirishima Azaleas at Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine Park are at about 75% towards full bloom at the moment.
I'm in the process of making a new batch of promotional photo prints that I plan to be handing out over the next week or so in Kyoto. I've also started a new BLOG on my other website to talk more about current news in Japan and any general news from me.

Firstly, many of you may have heard about an earthquake in Japan yesterday evening. A magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit the city of Kumamoto on Kyushu Island. We're about 500km away from there here in Kyoto. However, most of my wife's relatives live much closer to Kumamoto. We've heard from them, and although they felt some of the tremors, they're all safe and there's no damage in the areas they live. I have fond memories of a short visit I made to Kumamoto back in 1997. I remember it being a beautiful city and the people I met there were very warm hearted. My thoughts and prayers go out to the people in Kumamoto.
Today's photo is the second in my miniseries on the Fushimi-Momoyama area it is a shop selling traditional Japanese sweets. One interesting thing you might notice if you read a bit of Japanese is the sign on the shop: It reads from right to left. These days if shop signs are horizontal then the writing goes from left to right. Traditionally Japanese is written vertically from top to bottom, right to left and you still find a lot of writings done in this way. However, a growing number of publications are laying out the Japanese writing like English (i.e. horizontal left to right, top to bottom). I think email use especially has played a big influence on this, as emails in Japanese are laid out in the same way as an English email.
There are many types of traditional Japanese sweets. Most them are based on sweetened Mochi (sticky cakes made from glutinous rice) or Warabi jelly (made from a fern which grows in Japan). Various toppings and/or fillings are added to make the final product. Traditional toppings are soybean powder, crushed nuts or/and dried fruits. The most popular traditional filling is adzuki bean paste (from boiled and mashed dark red bean and sweetened with sugar or honey). These days some sweet shops fuse these traditional sweets with imported flavours (for example chocolate, banana, strawberry, custard, etc) or with famous local ingredients (for example local fruits or teas).
This traditional sweets shop is on Uoya-dori about a 7 minute walk in a westerly direction from Fushimi-Momoyama station, which is on the Keihan Railway's Main Line.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart lighting applied; DxO ClearView applied (default); PRIME noise reduction applied; Highlights reduced; Blacks increased; Microcontrast increased; and Vibrancy increased.

In Saturday's BLOG post I mentioned that I'd be doing a miniseries of BLOGs on one of Kyoto's OTBT (Off The Beaten Track) destinations. Today is the first of these BLOGs on Kyoto's Fushimi-Momoyama neighbourhood. Fushimi-Momoyama is in Kyoto city's industrial south and it's normally avoided by most foreign tourists. However the spot is known to people around Kansai, so it can get busy on weekends and public holidays.
This photo is of an Old Sake Brewery in the Fushimi-Momoyama area. There are a number of new and old Sake Breweries in the area. Some of them offer tours in English. Interesting enough "sake" or more politely "O-sake" just means alcohol in Japanese. However Japanese Rice Wine, the drink that people outside of Japan call "sake" is called "Nihonshu" in Japan.
Sake Breweries are not the only thing of interest this neighbourhood, there are various traditional shops and restaurants. Actually in terms restaurants there are plenty in the area for all tastes and budgets. Although, not as many restaurants offer English menus as other areas in Kyoto that are more frequented by foreign tourists.
The Fushimi ward is huge and even the Fushimi-Momoyama area stretches a few train stations. However, the main concentration of traditional Sake Breweries, Shops and Restaurants are to the North West of the Keihan Train Line (between Fushimi-Momoyama and Chushojima stations). The best access to the area is from Fushimi-Momoyama station on the Keihan Railway, which is useful if you're coming from Kyoto's downtown area. If you are coming from near the Kyoto station area use the Kintetsu railway and alight at Momoyamagoryo-Mae.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF) and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart lighting applied; DxO ClearView applied (default); PRIME noise reduction applied; Highlights reduced; Blacks increased; Microcontrast increased; and Vibrancy increased.

This will be my last Sakura focused post for a while. The main Sakura season is coming to an end in most of the lower lying parts of Kyoto. You might still be able to find some good Sakura up in the mountains for a while longer.
Today's photo was taken 12 days ago at Daigo-ji in the Fushimi ward of Kyoto. This place normally blooms later than other parts of Kyoto, because it's in a cooler area, but this year it was earlier than some other places. Even without the flowers in bloom, it's still worth going to see this expansive and World Heritage listed Buddhist temple complex.
Diago-ji is about a 14 minute walk from Daigo station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway's Tozai line. If you're coming from near Kyoto station, catch a JR train to Yamashina and transfer to the subway there. If the 14 minute walk seems like too much for you (especially in Kyoto's hot and humid summers) there are shuttle buses from Daigo station.
While there's not much in terms of shops and restaurants around the temple, there is a big shopping mall on top of the subway station. When we were there recently, my wife and I really enjoyed the Curry Restaurant on the third floor of the Western building of the shopping mall.
This photo was taken in with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF-Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF file) and post processed with DxO optics pro. I made the following adjustments: Default camera and lens corrections applied; DxO Smart lighting applied; DxO ClearView applied (default); PRIME noise reduction applied; Blacks increased; Contrast increased; Microcontrast increased; and Vibrancy increased.

Firstly a big "Hello" to anyone visiting here for the first time because they received one of my promotional prints from me outside the Kyoto tower today. Please check back regularly for more information on the sites of Kyoto. I'm planning to feature a few photos from one of Kyoto's OTBT (Off The Beaten Track) destinations in the near future.
For today's BLOG I've taken an older photo an given it an edit. It was taken back in April 2009 at Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine Park. Back then the Nagaokakyo city council would light up the Sakura trees along the pond. For some reason this is no longer being done. As far as I know there still will be a light up event there later in this month (April) for the blooming of the Kirishima Azaleas.
Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine Park is really good to go and see at various times of the year, due to the many kinds of flowering plants there: Late February to early March, Ume (plum blossoms); Late March to early April, Sakura (cherry blossoms); Late April, Kirishima Tsutsuji (Kirishima Azalea, it has small red flowers); Early May, Tsutsuji (Azalea); Late May, Irises; Late July, Hassu (lotus blossom); Early November Kiku (Chrysanthemum) and orange leaves on the Sakura trees; and Late November red leaves on the Momiji (Japanese maple) trees and Yellow leaves on the Ichou (Ginkgo) trees.
The easiest way to get to Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine Park is to catch a Hankyu Railway train on Hankyu's Kyoto line and alight at Nagaoka Tenjin Station. The park is about a 5 minute walk due West of the station (either via Tenjin-dori or Azalea-dori).
This photo was taken with a Nikon D80 camera and an AF-Nikkor 35f/2D lens mounted on a tripod. Compared to the original version: I've increased the contrast; warmed the colour balance; increased the vividness and reduced the highlights.

We are are very much in the middle of the sakura (cherry blossom) season here in Kyoto at the moment. The photo for today's BLOG was taken on Wednesday at the famous stairway on Sannen-Zaka (a narrow roadway lined by traditional buildings in Higashiyama). Part of this same tree also featured in a photo from previous BLOG. Since I took the photo early in the day this time, there weren't so many people around.
On Wednesday morning I first visited Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizu temple), but the sakura weren't as progressed there as I expected. Hankyu had them at 2 on the scale (see yesterday's BLOG), but I with the exception of one tree, I would have rated them at a 1. After Kiyomizu temple I checked on the tree in this photo, since it was at 2 when I passed it a week ago. As you can see it's at 3 (full bloom). In the afternoon acting on a tip off from some friendly Taiwanese tourists, I visited in Daigo-ji where the trees were all in the 2-3 range. Normally the trees at Daigo-ji bloom later than Kiyomizu-dera, but this year's weather pattern has been unusually warm.
I had hoped to get out to some more sites yesterday (Thursday), but I was feeling a little under the weather and today I'm still recovering. Perhaps tomorrow, I get out again to try to capture more images of the fleeting Sakura.
Sannen-Zaka is about 5min walk to the west of Kiyomizu-dera. Even if you've only got a short time in Kyoto, Sannen-Zaka is must see. It's probably the most traditional looking street close to the downtown. It's certainly one of my favourite spots in the Higashiyama area.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. It was captured as a RAW (.NEF file) and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: DxO Smart lighting applied; DxO ClearView applied (default); PRIME noise reduction applied; Highlights reduced; Blacks increased; Contrast increased; Microcontrast increased; and Vibrancy increased.

Firstly a big "hello" to anyone visiting for the first time because you received a promotional photo print from me today outside the Kyoto Tower. This BLOG is where you can find lots of photos and information about the sites of Kyoto. I've lived here for over 7 years and I hope this BLOG can give you some good tips that help make the most of your visit to Kyoto. I also hope you can see how beautiful Kyoto is through the year, that you might decide to come back again in a different season. If you really like these photos, consider buying some prints as memento of Kyoto, it certainly would help with my expenses of creating, maintaining and hosting this BLOG.
Shidare-Zakura (Weeping Cherry) bloom just little later than the Somei Yoshino (as featured in yesterdays BLOG), but it is quite common to see them in bloom together. I've photographed the pinker Shidare-Zakura in front of the whiter Somei Yoshino at times. Today's photo is of a Shidare-Zakura at Daigo-ji (Daigo temple) in Fushimi Ward of Kyoto city catching the last rays of sunlight before sunset.
Diago-ji is located in a slightly cooler area than other parts of Kyoto city and so the vast collection of Sakura there tend to peak a little later than other places. Diago-ji is about a 14 minute walk from Daigo station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway's Tozai line. If you're near Kyoto station, catch a JR train to Yamashina and transfer to the subway there.Note: It is difficult to predict Sakura blooming times as the weather patterns vary from year to year. Fortunately the Hankyu Railway stations have charts showing the progress of the bloom at various famous locations around Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. Hankyu's scale works like this 0 = flowers not yet open; 1 = flowers have begun to open; 2 = flowers at about 50% bloom; 3 = flowers are at their best; 4 = the flowers are waning; 5 = the flowers have gone. So check out a Hankyu Railway station if you want the most update info on where you're going to see the best blooms on any given day.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D80 camera and an AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. This is the JPEG straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.